Mr B, my Osteopath, agreed with me that Oscillococcinum is VERY effective in preventing viral illnesses, telling me his family never falls ill thanks to these remedies. An over the counter remedy, we both fear that Boiron might suffer this egregious attack on Homeopathy leading to the demise of this outstanding remedy. I believe had Oscillococinnum and Homeopathy in general liberated me from viral illnesses while I was growing up, I could well have avoided MS.
MS patients are doubly cursed. 1) by the « disease » and 2) by the misguided treatment which poisons them with mutlple MRIs and immune suppressive drugs. (My next post will suggest that MS is not so much a « disease » as a structural malfunction.)
As I’ve said, I believe Multiple Sclerosis should become a distinct specialty. One might begin with this one scientific study.
*Cerebral Circulation Time is Prolonged and Not Correlated with EDSS in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Study Using DigitalSubtracted Angiography
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0116681&representation=PDF
« Discussion : The present study reported a significant CCT (Cerebral Circulation Time) increase in MS patients compared to control sub- jects, indicating a consistent condition of cerebral hypoperfusion. »
Let's start there : Where, why is the blood flow obstructed ? And fluid flows impacting the central nervous system ? Once determined, I believe one can begin to be of real help to the MS patient.
What should my MS specialist consider ?
In my own case stress clearly triggers « attacks », setbacks. My first dramatic healing 1984-85 came through the talented work of a Kinesiologist who used detoxification, diet modification, supplements, and « energy » work derived from traditional Chinese medicine theory/practice. I now realize liberated energy flow facilitated blood/cerebro-spinal flow (CSF) and I underwent energy treatment at least once a month. The attack of March 1987 was triggered by my decision to leave my husband. STRESS. I observed that my mind wanted one thing, my body decided another. But little damage was done, spring 1988 I could walk miles without faltering. Summer 1989 more stress brought an attack from which I didn’t fully recover, though I didn’t realize it until the following year while trying to walk 4 miles around a lake. Even so, when I moved to France spring 1992 I was apparently quite recovered, no apparent deficits.
Then I walked into a French family horror show and suffered years of stress exacerbated by frequent viral infections. Cheating the MS diet didn’t really do me in, it was the stress which must have clamped the descending veins shut, backjetting blood Into the brain/spine. All setbacks subsequent to the first healing were triggered by STRESS (emotional, viral, diet) And recent Falls which injured my spine.
So, what should my MS specialist do ?
Remind me to follow faithfully my own SEVEN STEPS TO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS HEALTH.
Then, prescribe an approriate MRI scan to study blood/CSF flows. FONAR ? SCHELLING HAACKE PROTOCOL ? (See my blog of June 23, 2019 « MRI SCANS – STANDARD, HAACKE PROTOCOL, FONAR.) Check out extrinsic obstructions ? CAT scans ? X-rays ? Sonograms ? AO Chiropractor ? (I believe that the standard MRI is rather pointless since it focuses on lesions whose origin is unknown. According to my California Neurologist an apparently untouched MSer may exhibit many lesions while a severely handicapped MSer may have few lesions. So of what use is such an examination ?)
For myself, I would love to undergo a FONAR MRI in order to get an overview of both blood and CSF circulation.
Is my primary problem that stress tightens up the musculature, impacting the veins in the same way, so that nervous system dysfunction follows ? Are my veins clogged up because of life long viruses, colds, flus, mononucleosis (Epstein Barr Virus) ?
A Parisian Angiologue found no stenosis or anomaly when she performed a Sonogram on my Jugular veins and Vertebral Veins. I would have to be sedated to undergo a Sonogram on the Azygos vein, which implies I should simply undergo venoplasty to both see and « unplug » the azygos along with other veins if so indicated. This treatment is not available in France. (I believe a severe spasm of the azygos vein triggered my first major attack. (See Pallis/Shiatsu blog May 5, 2013).
Something interesting happened to me a few years back when I walked out of the Paris Opera House at the Bastille after a ballet performance. I apparently felt so much « at home » and happy that I could walk without limping. I tried to alert my husband, (we were walking arm in arm) but it was a cold winter night, we were surrounded by traffic, he couldn’t hear me and wasn’t paying attention. I wanted him to stop and notice, I suspected this new found freedom wouldn’t last long. And it didn’t. We dined in a local bistro and when I rose to leave the old handicapping rigidity had returned.
Did this recovery really happen ? And why ? I read recently on Dr Zamboni’s Vascular Connection Facebook page of a woman who woke after Venoplasty to find she no longer suffered from « drop-foot ».Renewed blood flow apparently released the neurological deficit. Did my momentary joy release the blood flow to free the neurological deficit ? This implies that my problem is not so much a question of plugged up veins but a body tension which constricts the veins – suggestive of Dr Owiesy’s theory about the role of the smooth muscle layer of the veins.
Would Dr. Owiesy’s solution, the application to the Jugulars of dexamethasone/lidocaine/thiamine, help open the blood flow from the brain as did my momentary Opera House joy ? Should my MS specialist consider this ?
So consider the factors. Is blood flow from the brain impeded by a venous obstruction? Or does a dysregulated autonomic nervous system cause the smooth muscles of the vein to go into spasm, thus sending refluxed blood into the CNS? Will simple body tension cause the veins to seize up and impede blood flow, tension caused by emotional stress, the flu, toxins, poor food? Has stress re-activated a dormant EBV Herpes virus lodged in the autonomic nervous system causing the veins to seize up in spasm? Is there a bone pressing on the otherwise healthy vein? Does cerebro-spinal fluid flow obstruction damage the axons, the spinal cord? Where is the principle obstruction to the free flow of CNS central nervous system fluids? How should it be treated?
One final factor my MS specialist might consider ? Simon Ewart-Grist, a British electrical engineer by training and profession, has proposed an original idea -brilliant might even be the word– suggesting that the iron nanoparticles of magnetite in the blood damage the myelin of MS patients. (I have posted his theory on the posts of September 29, 2018 and October 22, 2018). He has invented a device – the desatascador - which acts as a magnet to draw the nanoparticles out of the body, recommending the use of cranberry juice to prevent bacteria clogging up the veins. At least one participant on TIMS (ThisisMS.com) found use of the desatascador improved his eyesight dramatically, and his testimony suggested to me that the magnetite had punched holes in the vein walls to damage the optic nerve. Anyway, we are still addressing blood flow here. I fear using the « desatascador » because I believe by fooling around with it I carelessly scattered magnetite into the CNS to cause serious neurological damage. For me, this sorry experience demonstrated how magnetite might be harmful. I would be delighted to find a therapist who can remove the magnetite from my blood after having studied my case. But since Simon just proposed the idea, we are light years away from trained therapy.
So here is suggested multiple causes of fluid obstructions in the CNS. And after analyzing my « case », a solution might be suggested. Chiropractic manipulation ? Osteopathic manipulation ? Venoplasty ? Dr Owiesy’s injection of dexamethasone/lidocaine/thiamine? TENS Acupressure ? Acupuncture ? Shiatsu massage ? Surgery to overcome structural obstructions. « Desatascador to draw out the Magnetite ? Other ?
Let’s say no solution can be found to release the blood/CSF flows. I believe Neurologists are basically treating the damage caused by pathological CNS fluid circulation. This means medication. This is certainly not my domain. Let’s take the TIMS correspondant Donnchadh as an example. He developed « MS » subsequent to an accident which damaged his spine causing bones to obstruct the Jugular Veins. He persuaded a neuro-surgeon to free the Jugulars by shaving down the bones. He hoped that Venoplasty would open blood circulation. No luck. After years of obstruction tissue had built up in the venous « stenosis » which couldn’t be removed. His life was ruined because of blockages in short sections of the jugular veins. He stopped writing with this news so I don’t know what his Neurologist prescribed.
Warning. Those who are positive for the JC virus should avoid drugs which can trigger a deadly condition known as PML. ElliotB writes this on ThisisMS August 17, 2019.« But frankly, it does not make sense to take a drug that can possibly trigger it when there are many other DMDs that do not.
My neurologist wants me to change medications and I told him I will not consider any medication that might lead to PML. I just had a MRI done and am seeing him tomorrow for his recommendations. »
STEM CELLS ? I haven’t studied the issue. However, I believe before one seeks to repair damaged myelin and the brain’s grey matter, one needs to stop the ongoing damage – the blood back jets for example. Otherwise, repair will be overwhelmed by ongoing assaults.
In short, I need an MS Specialist. Why are Neurologists unequipped to help me ?
Answer : Because I believe they don’t know what MS is nor how to treat it.
PART TWO ; The following section is a repeat of my July Blog « Status not Science Rules MS Treatment. »
In a previous post I mentioned Dr. Schelling’s history of the Vascular Connection in MS. On page 33 of his paper MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS : The Image and its Message. The Meaning of the Classic Lesion Form
Dr. F. Alfons Schelling, MD writes
« Since no really distinctive pathological traits have ever been posited for multiple sclerosis, the speculations as to the lesion’s cause(s) have always been mainly conformable to the dominant research interests of their time. » … « From toxin to virus, Modern Dogma : If not a viral agent, then an auto-immune process. »
So here we have the real problem with MS research and potential treatment – MODERN DOGMA which we all know favors the bio-chemical, that is to say DRUG, solution.
Recently I consulted Joan Beal’s excellent site The Vascular Connection. Long absent, I was happy to read her post on Jan 2, 2019, all the more so that she discussed research confirming Dr Schelling’s observation that current research is based on dogma more than science.
The following research focuses on Multiple Sclerosis which is an entirely appropriate example because a high status specialty – Neurology – monopolizes research, diagnosis and treatment.even though the vascular connection to MS has been observed for at least 150 years.
I am going to quote directly from Joan Beal’s January 2, 2019 post from ccsviinms.blogspot.com/
Joan Beal writes :« I wanted to write this post to share a very important paper I first read several years ago. It was written in 1988--over 30 years ago! I believe it can help us answer the question as to what happened to CCSVI?
The entire paper is here: Malcom Nicolson and Cathleen McLaughlin :Social constructionism and medical sociology: a study of the vascular theory of multiple sclerosis
The authors are responding to a critique of their work which stated that societal hierarchies really didn't influence medical research and needn't be considered. The writers disagreed with this critique and in this paper they show how medical research and treatment are developed with a societal bias. This bias depends on who claims ownership of a particular disease and what their specialty is. A researcher's area of knowledge and expertise decide how a disease is viewed and treated.
From the paper:
« Scientists cannot therefore devise scientific theories solely in the light of their direct immediate experience of phenomena. They base new knowledge upon the relevant data and upon their pre- existing beliefs and theories. We understand the unknown in the light of what we already know - which, of course, in tum has its roots in training and in prior socialisation. Different observers, therefore, produce radically different cognitive worlds because modes of observation, and the points from which observation takes place, differ. »
And the authors use multiple sclerosis as their empirical case study---by outlining how the neuron-centric neurologists had ignored and even deliberately buried the evidence of the vascular system's impact on brain health, in order to focus on their own immunological view of the disease and their pharmaceutical immune modulating treatments.
This is from the abstract:
« A recent debate surrounding the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis is analysed in terms of the skills, interests and backgrounds of the medical personnel involved. It is noted that the proponents of the vascular theory possess developed expertises in interpreting disease in structural, vascular terms, whereas their opponents' skills lie in immunology or neurology. Different observers have produced different conceptions of the disease because modes of observation, and the points from which observation takes place, differ. It is also jjnoted that the debate over the causation and treatment of MS has occurred between a large and powerful social group and a weak and marginal one. The effects of this power inequality on the production and assessment of knowledge about MS are investigated.
The vascular links to MS have long been known, since Rindfleisch first saw the central vein sign through a microscope in 1863. CCSVI was not the first vascular treatment to be "debunked" by neurologists using badly designed and obviously biased studies.
As the paper states many times, vascular specialists are not as powerful as neurologists, and rarely are able to respond to these dismissals or badly replicated stabs at their research. They are paid less, receive less funding for their research, are less respected. We've seen them disparaged as "plumbers." Neurologists comment that this is because blood vessels are not as complex as the brain. And yet, ironically, it is a lowly central vein sign which is 100% accurate in diagnosing MS lesions.
The Central Vein Sign »
Joan then gives a brief history of research debunked and dismissed by the neurology profession – eg Dr Tracy Putnam, Dr Roy Swank, Dr Franz Schelling, Dr Philip James and lately Dr Zamboni.
« What is most important to take away from all of this is that each of these older "debunked" treatments----HBOT, diet, exercise, blood thinners (such as aspirin) are now scientifically recognized as helpful to people with MS, because of their affect on cerebral blood flow…
I had hoped people would recognize that venoplasty was not being called a "cure" for MS. It was simply another treatment--like exercise, diet, lifestyle, meditation, sleep, etc-- which could potentially improve cerebral blood flow, heal the endothelial layer of blood vessels, maintain gray matter and slow MS disease progression. No surprise, neurologists went ahead with ill-conceived and flawed studies, in order to debunk Dr. Zamboni and shut it all down. Better to kill the theory and debunk the messenger, than attempt to understand the connection.. » END OF JOAN'S QUOTE
Back to me MSCureEnigmas
So there it is, undue respect for social hierarchy overrides the reputed « objectivity » of medical science research. I agree with Joan that the Neurology profession uses their superior social status and power to monopolize Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis and treatment.
But they are not the only « fraternity » guilty of imposing superior rank in the pecking order to discredit alternative ideas. The family GP Dr Owiesy’s work on treating spasms in the vein’s smooth muscle layer to facilitate blood circulation has been more or less dismissed by the Interventional Radiologists of the ISNVD. Even lower in the pecking order we find Chiropractors and non MD Osteopaths who don’t count officially precisely because they aren’t MDs. Allopaths disdain Homeopaths, Kinesiologists, and Acupuncturists while massage therapists hardly rate at all even if they may be able to release CNS (Central Nervous System) fluid flows. « Internet University » bloggers like me are subjected to scathing scorn.
While I believe Multiple Sclerosis should become a distinct specialty, I’m not holding my breathe. I realized a long time ago I have to find my own solutions. I hope this site will help others do the same.
TAGS : Status, Osteopathy, Oscillococcinum, FONAR MRI, MRI Haacke protocol, TENS Acupressure, MS Progression, RRMS, SPMS, MS Feedback Loop, AO Chiropractor, Vascular Connection, Dr Schelling, Dr. Zamboni, CCSVI, Central Vein Sign, Dr. Owiesy, ISNVD
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